Development of the innovative science and technology withcold-adaption moleculesandfunctional nucleic acids

We are developing innovative science and technology with cold-adaptation molecules and functional nucleic acids.
Antifreeze protein (AFP) from various kinds of cold-adapted organisms can be utilized for medical and industrial applications.
Functional nucleic acids can apply to oligonucleotide therapeutics. We have elucidated the molecular mechanism of these biomolecules to improve their functions.

◎Structure and function analysis of antifreeze protein and development for its applications(KONDO)
Antifreeze protein (AFP) binds to the ice crystal and inhibits its further growth. AFP also binds to the lipid bilayer of mammalian cells to prolong their lifetime under hypothermic conditions.We discovered various kinds of AFPs from the cold-adapted organisms around Hokkaido.We especially focus on elucidating the molecular mechanism of AFP and developing industrial and medical applications of AFP.

 

◎Development of anti-microRNA oligonucleotide using interstrand cross-linked duplexes(KOMATSU and HIRANO)
MicroRNA (miRNA)-guided argonaute (Ago) controls gene expression upon binding to the 3′-untranslated region of mRNA. We constructed short, stable 2′-O-methyl RNA duplexes through interstrand cross-linking (CL) and connected them to the antisense strand of miRNAs to produce novel anti-miRNA oligonucleotides (AMOs). AMO with CL duplexes at both the 5′ and 3′ sides show the highest potency compared with conventional AMOs.